Get Your Vitamins: A Basic Guide to Antioxidants in Cosmetics

Want to know more about the antioxidants that are often advertised as the magic ingredient in your favorite moisturizer or shampoo? This basic guide provides summaries of the health benefits of antioxidant ingredients commonly used in cosmetics. The description of each antioxidant also includes a few products that claim to utilize the ingredient.

Medical doctors often suggest that the best way to get your antioxidants is by maintaining a healthy diet, so at the end of each antioxidant's description is a list of the foods that contain that particular antioxidant ingredient.

This guide is by no means comprehensive and it is not intended to treat or diagnose any health problem. Furthermore, while many antioxidants are available in the form of dietary supplements, always consult a physician when considering whether to take any form of dietary supplement.

Vitamin A

What is it? Vitamin A is found in several forms and is used to treat acne and soften skin. There is also some research that shows that, when applied topically, high concentrations of Vitamin A can help to smoothe wrinkles.

Cosmetic Products: One of the best known Vitamin A creams is Retin A, which was originally formulated to fight acne, but later touted as an anti-wrinkle cream. Retinol, a common ingredient in over-the-counter products such as the Roc Anti-Wrinkle line, is a considerably weaker cousin of doctor-prescribed Vitamin A creams. Other popular retinol products include Affirm and the Shiseido Pure Retinol line.

Foods:. Foods rich in Vitamin A include liver, sweet potatoes, carrots, milk, egg yolks and mozzarella cheese.

Vitamin B

What is it? Vitamin B comes in several forms. The ones most commonly used in beauty products are B-3 (Niacin) and B-5 (pantotheic acid or "panthenol"). Vitamin B is thought to help treat acne by balancing hormonal activity and is also commonly used as an agent to help lock moisture into the skin and hair.

Cosmetic Products: If the term "panthenol" sounded familiar to you, it may be because it is the origin of the name "Pantene," the popular hair product line that frequently emphasizes the presence of B-5 in its products. Other products that contain Vitamin B include Diane Von Furstenberg Beauty Flirting Glances Volume Mascara and DeCleor Hydra-Matte Regulating Fluid.

Foods: mushrooms, cauliflower, sunflower seeds, broccoli, and squash

Vitamin C

What does it do? Also known as asorbic acid, Vitamin C has been shown to fight wrinkles, smooth fine lines, and help provide additional protection from sun damage when added to suncreens. Vitamin C is particularly unstable and tends to break down easily. Its more stable derivatives, however, are thought to be comparably effective. These include Magnesuim ascorbyl phosphate and Ascorbyl palmitate

Products: N.V. Perricone M.D. Vitamin C Ester Amine Complex Face Lift, The Body Shop Vitamin C Face Spray, Bare Escentuals RareMinerals

Foods: all citrus fruits, mango, cantaloupe, kiwi, and strawberries; green vegetables such as green peppers, cabbage, spinach, broccoli, and kale

Vitamin E

What is it? Usually listed as "alpha tocopherol" or "tocotrenol," Vitamin E is probably the most ubiquitous antoxidant used in cosmetics and is widely recognized for its moisturizing qualities.

Products: There are virtually countless products that contain Vitamin E. Some interesting products to check out are Go Smile Smileceuticals Good-For-You Lip Treatment, Benefit Cosmetics Dr. Feelgood Primer, and Too Faced Lash Injection mascara.

Foods: vegetable oils, especially sunflower oil, fish oils, nuts, wheat germ, brown rice and oats, dairy products, meats and margarine.

Related:

Antioxidants: Skin Care Miracle or Major Marketing Hype?